


Past Ghosts

by Poppy_Head



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh!
Genre: Also Virtual world mentions, Gen, Mentions of Mokuba and Gozaburo, Yu-Gi-Oh! DM - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-11-11
Updated: 2014-11-11
Packaged: 2018-02-25 01:15:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,847
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2603165
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Poppy_Head/pseuds/Poppy_Head
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When you've lived a more than half of your life in a digital prison cell, facing reality again is more difficult than one may think.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Past Ghosts

**Author's Note:**

> A friend prompted this one, but I thought it would be nice to conceptualise how Noa could possibly come about in the present in the DM series. It's brief, probably something I would have to think about a lot more, but the thought of the three being together is very dear idea.

It was late.

  
A boy tossed and turned in his sheets, sweat dotting his pale, frail body as his face contorted with fear, murmuring incomprehensible words. He was a picture of distress, hands grabbing air when they missed the sheets and mouth ajar, producing noises of worry. The images that were playing in his mind, the ideas, the concepts were too much to bear, and the boy didn't seem to be able to stand them much longer.

  
The boy gritted his teeth, eyes snapping open suddenly as he let out a cry of fear, bolting upright in his bed. His eyes were wide, naked fear clear. If his panting wasn’t any indication, he was petrified.

  
But reality soon hit him, he realised it was all a dream. All tormenting images in his own subconscious, and he brought his knees up, holding them close and just rocking himself back and fourth.

  
It had been 2 weeks since the adopted Kaiba brothers had managed to somehow resurrect Noah, heal his body and implant his mind again. He had lived in the real world once more, and to say it was strange would be a massive understatement. He could feel real things. He could smell real food. He could see the living world around him without some glitch causing a giant, pixilated, cloud to ruin his day. But adjusting to a world made for everyone, not just himself, was tougher than expected.

  
Even so, he dreaded the thought of going back. This was real, that was not. Nightmares like he had just awoken from plagued his mind, like some deep, dark cloud resting over his head. Life was turning into a nightmare itself. It was usually only Mokuba who was there to hold his hand, he could barely comprehend the child was older than him. But his body had stayed the same during his time in cyber space, somehow it hadn't decayed, and he contained an intellect that rivalled that of his older step brother.

  
Just re-capping over things again took his mind off the idea of going back.

  
Noah began to grow cold, as the air from his slightly ajar window started to creep under the crumpled sheets. He stared through the tiny gap between the fabric of the curtains. He wouldn’t be able to go back to sleep for a while now, he couldn't trust his own mind to let him have one half decent night of sleep. He hadn’t gotten more than three or four hours of sleep every night. He had briefly mentioned it to Mokuba, and he told him where he stashed his midnight raids. The food kept him awake. He thought about what his step-brother had left for him tonight, the thought of something to take his mind away for only a while, and it seemed good enough.

  
Somewhat bravely, he shifted his frame out from under the protection of his sheets, skin growing goose-bumps as they felt the cold. Get something to keep himself warm, he thought. Scanning about for anything, he spotted one of the many garments the Kaiba brothers had given him to live from, a dressing gown. He paced over to where it hung, spending no time taking it down, and securing it tightly around his body. Much better. Next priority, food. He touched the cold, brass doorknob, opening it slowly as to not make a noise, and closing it behind him as he entered the hallway.

  
The Kaiba mansion was still as grand as he had remembered it, but Seto had taken massive liberties to re-decorate every room. It was quite an adventure, comparing what he could to the present. Seto hated Gozaburo with every fibre of his being, and Noah wondered why he hadn’t just found new accommodation for he and his brother.

  
The kitchen was quiet, obviously, the maids weren’t around at 2am. The stone tiles were freezing, almost sending a shock up his spine. Cursing himself for not putting on some form of footwear, he made a beeline for where Mokuba had directed him. It was a small cupboard, one that the maids didn’t use often enough, and that’s where Mokuba kept his small supply of food. There were a few things scattered, nuts, chocolate bars, but Noah’s eyes settled on a green apple, the light from the window shining on it. It sat cold in his hands as he leant down in front of the cupboard, and he stood up, almost cradling the piece of fruit in his arms like a child. Everything was a godsend.

  
Crunching into the apple, juices threatening to drip over his lips as he savoured it. Even though his virtual prison had managed to replicate things like this, like simply biting into an apple, nothing could compare it to the real thing. It had almost felt like he had forgotten everything, what anything had felt like, from when he was alive. He wondered how he would ever manage to fit in again.

  
Noah had told himself that he would try to go back to sleep, but his sleepy thoughts scared him. He hated the idea of dreams, because even in his virtual world, everything was one big nightmare. Sleep still seemed artificial. Idly closing the cupboard door, he pondered what to do. Play video games? He’d probably make too much noise, perhaps a board game? But who would he play it with? In the past he could simply spawn someone out of thin air to play with him, but now...

  
His feet took him back into the hallway, slowly making their way up the plush, carpeted stairs, eyes fixed to the floor as he chewed on his apple. Maybe he could go and explore the depths of his own house again. It seemed like a good idea, but it was late. It would be dark, he didn’t want to disturb anything, anyone. God knows what Seto might do if he found his step brother wandering around this late at night...

  
Seto.

  
He remembered their first encounter, that painful look of hatred when he realised some kid was behind him having to re-live his worst nightmare. He had tortured the older Kaiba with memories worse than his own, all thanks to his wretched step father. Looking back on his deeds was more painful than the thought of going back. Because of all of those souls he took advantage of, he had played everyone in some elaborate plan to gain Kaiba Corp for his own.

  
But Gozaburo played his own son as badly as he had played Seto. He reaped the consequences of his selfishness, and was laid to rest, with a lifetime and a half to come to peace with himself.

  
Until Mokuba decided that he wasn’t going to die.

  
The younger Kaiba tried to assure Noah that Seto didn’t hate him, but he knew Mokuba was just trying to keep a fake smile on his face. It was better than Noah sulking all the time, but Noah thought deep within his heart that Seto hated him as much as he hated Gozaburo. But he had never asked him, of course, Seto was too busy running their family business...

  
He had stopped in front of the eldest Kaiba’s room, his big brother’s room. The oak door was the same as his own, yet it looked so daunting, it might have fallen over and squished him if he dared to look at it any longer. He heard Seto deft fingers typing away on his laptop from the other side, surprised he was still up. Maybe...

  
No, he wouldn’t pester him, he was too busy. Wasn’t he?

  
He put the core of his apple down on the carpet, hands twiddling idly in front of his waist. Would he dare? Would he risk getting a pillow thrown at his head? He supposed there was really only one way to find out.

  
Taking a hold of his second brass doorknob that evening (morning?) , he twisted it gently, hearing the lock give way and letting the small boy through. He peered through cautiously, Seto not even having noticed his door had opened. Noah gently shut it behind him, and that’s when Seto’s eyes shot up.

  
His whole body tensed, as although he was expecting an attacker. Noah began to panic, maybe this hadn’t been such a good idea, but his older brother relaxed a little when he realised who it was. He watched him rake a hand through his hair, like he had only now become self aware again. “Noah,” the older Kaiba started, not moving his gaze from the LCD screen. He didn’t seem surprised that the boy was up and about this late, not sound asleep in his bed. “I didn't think you'd be up. Mokuba tells me you’ve been having nightmares off late, is this true?”

  
Noah blinked once or twice, processing the question. That was his first question? Why hadn’t he demanded he go back to his room? He hadn’t thought about Seto caring enough to pay attention to what Mokuba spouted about him. He nodded slowly, answering; “It’s true.”

  
There was a long silence between them, Noah pictured the gears in the CEO’s head slowly grinding away, thinking on how to get him out of his hair so he could get back to numbing his fingers on his keyboard. He was surprised he hadn’t gotten carpal tunnel syndrome. It was a off-topic thought, but it strayed his mind from what he thought was the inevitable.

  
“Could I...stay with you?”

  
The question from the boy gave him all the attention he ever wanted from his older brother. His eyes fixed on Noah’s pale features, he recalled a time ago when Mokuba used to ask the same thing of him. He still had that soft side - somehow Gozaburo hadn’t sanded it all away under his heel-, but he hadn’t anticipated seeing it from his younger step brother. Not so soon. Perhaps he didn’t know enough of Noah’s own past to be the judge of that.

  
With a lazy flick of the wrist, he motioned for the boy to come over. Noah’s breath hitched in his throat, was he really okay with this? He thought Seto would have turned him away in an instant, like the back end of his step father...

  
He didn’t ask any questions. He cautiously went to his step brother, climbing up on to the plush bed and moving to sit beside him. It was strange, but his heart thrummed, at the thought of perhaps, maybe things weren’t so harsh between them? As he carefully moved closer, he certainly didn’t expect a hesitant hand brushing through his hair, stroking it gently. Noah’s eyes widened.

  
Not saying a word, he pushed his head into Seto’s side, curling up in a ball like a cat, holding back any overly showy emotion and just breathing in the smell of his older step brother. His older brother. His heart soared. He was more content than he’d ever been. He felt loved. Cherished. Maybe Seto really did care.

  
He dreamt of a monochrome hierarchy....


End file.
